Ukraine sees shift in Russia's peace talks delegation as 'pseudo-historical lectures' end, foreign minister says
The Russian delegation in ongoing peace talks with Ukraine has seen a "qualitative change," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in an interview with European Pravda published on Jan. 27.
The comments come as Ukraine, Russia, and the United States reengage in what Sybiha described as "complex" diplomacy amid President Donald Trump's renewed push to end the war, with the next round of talks expected on Feb. 1.
Ukraine's delegation includes senior officials such as National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Presidential Office head Kyrylo Budanov.
The Russian side is now led by Admiral Igor Kostyukov, head of Russia's military intelligence, alongside senior Defense Ministry representatives.
"We can see a qualitative change in the composition," Sybiha said. "These are different people, and there were no more pseudo-historical lectures. The conversations were very focused."
In previous negotiations, Russia's delegation was headed by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin who became known for lengthy historical digressions during talks.
During direct negotiations in 2025, Medinsky reportedly threatened Ukraine with further territorial occupation and warned that Russia was prepared to fight indefinitely if Kyiv rejected Moscow's maximalist demands.
Medinsky also led the last prior round of direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, held in Istanbul in March–April 2022, during the early weeks of Russia's full-scale invasion.
The foreign minister's remarks echo recent public comments by President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has described the Jan. 23–24 talks involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia as "constructive."
Sybiha added that Zelensky is prepared to meet with Putin to resolve two core issues in the peace process: territorial questions and the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
"It is precisely to address these issues that the president is ready to meet with Putin and discuss them," Sybiha said, adding that he sees no purpose in meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The Kyiv Independent has learned that Washington hopes to push the negotiations "toward its final culmination" during the next round of talks, though Moscow has yet to signal readiness to accept the proposals currently on the table.
The most contentious issues — Russia's demand that Ukraine withdraw from parts of Donbas and Moscow's claims over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — are expected to dominate the agenda.
